Gush Katif Stories, Part 3: Bryna's Story

Trying to create miracles amidst the pain.

This 3-part series presents personal profiles of Jewish residents of Gush Katif, portaying the human dimension behind the politics.

When the disengagement takes place, the Hilburgs' most wrenching loss will not be their beautiful home in the settlement of Netzer Hazani, nor even their nine and a half dunams of hothouses that grow bio-organic cherry tomatoes. The hardest piece of land for them to part with will be the grave of their son Yochanan, killed in Lebanon while serving in the Israeli army, and buried in the cemetery of Gush Katif.

Sammy and Bryna Hilburg were newlyweds filled with Zionist idealism when they made aliyah from the United States in 1972. Sammy served in the Border Police; Bryna was a speech therapist. Seven years later they decided that it was not enough to live in the Land of Israel, they wanted to build up the land. This was an era in Israeli society when the term "settler" meant "pioneer" rather than "usurper."

The Hilburgs went to the government, who offered them a choice between the Golan Heights and Gush Katif. "In the Golan Heights, they were willing to give us cows and snow," Mrs. Hilburg remembers. "Since I didn't want either, we came to heat and tomatoes."

They moved to the settlement of Netzer Hazani in 1979. It had been founded just three years before. At the groundbreaking ceremony Yitzhak Rabin had proclaimed: "Today is a great day for the country and for the settlements, a day that symbolizes the strengthening of our holding in the area that has become an indivisible part of the state and its security."

When the Hilburgs planted their life in Gush Katif, did they ever consider the possibility that someday they might be uprooted? "No," answers the 54-year-old Mrs. Hilburg. "At that time nobody spoke about giving up land. We lived here, the Arabs lived there, and everybody was happy. We used to do all of our shopping in Khan Yunis [a large Arab city in the Southern Gaza Strip]. If we needed a coat of paint on the walls, we went to Khan Yunis to buy the paint. If we needed a kilo of apples, we went to Khan Yunis. When we had weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, we invited our Arab workers, and when they had weddings and festive occasions, they invited us. We, the Jews living in Gaza, built up an Arab middle class here. It hadn't existed before."

All that changed in 1986, with the first intifada. The Arab family that worked for the Hilburgs still works for them, but for Jews to venture into an Arab town or village could cost them their lives.

Gush Katif has been the target of 6,000 mortar shells and Katusha rockets fired from the nearby areas of the Palestinian Authority.

During the last two years, the communities of Gush Katif have been the target of 6,000 mortar shells and Katusha rockets fired from the nearby areas of the Palestinian Authority. Miraculously, all but a couple dozen have hit without causing injury or property damage. Two mortar shells have fallen close to the Hilburg home, but Mrs. Hilberg avers that fear plays no part in her life. This is remarkable considering that two of her remaining five children are presently serving in the Israeli army.

Bryna Hilburg, with her silver-gray hair, dressed in black slacks and a gray shirt, speaks in a flat, emotionless tone of voice, like a woman whose mind has taken over the functioning of her wounded heart. She is a portrait of rationality and mature practicality. Now, six weeks before the scheduled evacuation, has she made any preparations for leaving?

"No," she answers simply. "We've spoken to a lawyer. Most people here have spoken to lawyers. But as far as moving vans or packing, I don't even have a single box."

Sammy Hilburg is 56 years old, past the energy and enthusiasm necessary to start a new farm from scratch. Have they thought about where they'd go?

"Well, there's talk about sending people from Gush Katif to the area of Nitzanim [the area north of Ashkelon]. But as far as actually going there and saying, 'I want this trailer or that trailer,' nobody I know has done that. They forgot one little bitty thing when they started making all these preparations for Nitzanim for 350 trailers where they're going to put 1,800 families. They forgot to worry about the sewage. I don't want to go to a place where I can't even flush the toilet."

Is she expecting a miracle to stop the disengagement?

She sighs. "To a certain extent, yes. But if I want a miracle to happen, I have to make it happen. I have to protest and give newspaper interviews and wake up the country.

Could this eminently practical woman really conceive of 9,000 Jews continuing to live surrounded by a million and half Arabs? "Why not?" she replies. "Jews live everywhere, and they're always the minority. If the Arabs wanted to maintain living peacefully, there's no reason why not.

"The Islamic mentality," she continues, "is such that every piece of land that they consider theirs is completely and totally holy unto them. Therefore, they're not going to stop with the Gaza Strip. And if they get the West Bank, they're not going to stop with that either. They're going to want Jerusalem, and once they get Jerusalem, they might as well take Tel Aviv and Haifa. I think it's crazy to appease them with gifts of land, because it can't work. You don't give up something without getting something in return. As far as I can see, we're not getting anything."

THEIR MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION

The Hilburgs' house is a typical middle-class, middle-aged home, filled with pictures and books and personal mementoes. The evacuation plan expects that soldiers will pack up the belongings of residents who refuse to pack up their own things, which will inevitably lead to much confusion and loss. A woman who knows what real loss is, Mrs. Hilburg is not worried about the prospect of losing her possessions. "Most of my belongings are really not worth very much," she shrugs. "If I have some things that I really care about, I'll put them in a suitcase, I suppose."

The graves are one of the most heartbreaking issues of the disengagement.

The news a few days before has reported that the families whose 48 loved ones are buried in the Gush Katif cemetery have brought a suit in the Supreme Court insisting that the graves not be moved without their permission. Since it is unthinkable that the graves be left behind to be vandalized by the Palestinians, what exactly do the families want?

"First of all, the government has to come and talk to us, and not, as originally planned, come and dig up the graves in the middle of the night and rebury them in some temporary gravesite, and then say, 'You can do with them what you want.'"

The graves are one of the most heartbreaking issues of the disengagement. Jews are protective of Jewish graves because disturbing mortal remains is believed to inflict spiritual pain on the soul. Since bodies in Israel are not buried in coffins but merely wrapped in prayer shawls or sheets (to facilitate the process of "dust returning to dust"), exhuming the 48 graves of Gush Katif will not be a neat process of digging up and reburying coffins. Instead, it will entail the ghoulish ordeal of digging up skeletons with no definite delineation between the remains and the surrounding earth.

At what point does the price of living out her ideals become too great for Bryna Hilburg to pay?

"At the beginning of September, 1997, the Land of Israel knocked on my door and said, 'We're sorry; your son is dead.' Now the Land of Israel is knocking on my door saying, 'Sorry, we're taking your home.' What am I going to have left to give the Land of Israel next time they come knocking on my door?"

1. Avital and Natan Sharansky have started a short term emergency fund for families who have been evacuated from Gush Katif. They are evaluating each case carefully and would like to have funds available in an account so that they can give funds to these people who are currently in crisis as soon as possible to help them with their immediate needs. Thus far they have helped families having weddings in the coming weeks and several other short term emergency needs. There are many families with serious needs.
Checks can be made out to Avital Sharansky and mailed to:
Avital and Natan Sharansky
c/o Richard Kovler
Rechov Mishmar Ha'am 1/4
Jerusalem 93226
Israel
Questions or further information can be obtained from Richard Kovler who works closely with the Sharanskys at richkov@netvision.net.il

2. An organization called Lemaan Achai -Emergency Campaign for Gush Katif- is trying to be the coordinating body of all those interested in helping. One can call 1-700-501-300 to donate items, services or to volunteer one's time. People willing to donate funds are being asked to call 1-800-351-012 and to specify that the money is for Keren Lemaan Achai. Israeli tax deductible receipts will be issued through an organization called Paamonim.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Sara Yoheved Rigler is the author of Heavenprints, as well as the bestsellers: God Winked: Tales and Lessons from my Spiritual Adventures, Holy Woman, Lights from Jerusalem, and Battle Plans: How to Fight the Yetzer Hara (with Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller). She is a popular international lecturer on subjects of Jewish spirituality. She has given lectures and workshops in Israel, England, Switzerland, South Africa, Mexico, Chile, Canada, and over thirty American cities. A graduate of Brandeis University, after fifteen years of practicing and teaching meditation and Eastern philosophy, she discovered "the world's most hidden religion: Torah Judaism." Since 1985, she has been living as a Torah-observant Jew in the Old City of Jerusalem with her husband and two children. She presents a highly-acclaimed Marriage Workshop for women [seewww.kesherwife.com] as well as a Gratitude Workshop. To invite her to your community, please write to info@sararigler.com.

Visitor Comments: 20

(20)
Kathy Christian,
August 17, 2005 12:00 AM

The road map

Don't be too hard on Sharon. He's been put into an impossible situation by Bush and the EU; to choose between continuing to receive aid, both financial and military from the United States, which is desperately needed by Israel, and expel the settlers, or lose the aid and let the settlers remain. I don't think anyone really thinks that this will bring peace and a cessation of palestinian terrorism; rather, it will bring it to the front door. And, although I hate to say it, nobody that's not Jewish in the United States, including Bush and Condoleeza Rice, really cares about the settlers losing their homes, their lives. What people really care about in the United States, those that aren't Jewish, is the price of oil and gasoline. And there are more gentile voters than Jewish voters. The US government wants stability in the middle east, and they feel that the best way to achieve that, and the continued flow of oil, is to appease the palestinians by forcing Sharon to fork over Jewish land. That's the bottom line.

(19)
Anonymous,
August 16, 2005 12:00 AM

Keeping things in perspective...

As emotions are running very high we must remember that whatever occurs is G-d's will. Sharon is just a puppet, and if this weren't supposed to happen, he couldn't have made this happen. Thankfully I don't have to dig into Sharon's heart and mind to judge if his intentions are pure or not, G-d does that for all mankind. But it is certainly comforting to know that even in Gush Katif TODAY G-d is in control and whether we'll realize soon or not with our limited human perception -- this is also for the GOOD.

(18)
Shira Lee Jackson,
August 14, 2005 12:00 AM

How can I help ?

Living outside of our Holy Land,we hear the stories, we feel the pain of our fellow jews and we pray for them to. I am in South Africa far away from My beloved eretz Yisroel, please can you tell me in what way i can help these families that are suffering.May Hashem brng peace soon !

(17)
Yehudah,
August 14, 2005 12:00 AM

May Hashem give you peace

Oy, this is so heart-wrenching. May G-D give you peace and help you through this.
What is wrong with people? Have they no concept of dignity?
How Sharon can do this deffies comprehension. G-D Forbid it happens, it will be his own grave that he's digging...for the Jewish people will go on, as we always have, with G-d guiding us. The truth of the matter is that what's being disengaged from is Sharon et. al. and their souls.

(16)
Patricia Gosinski,
August 14, 2005 12:00 AM

Israel will give up the land but it can also take it back.

I buy those cherry tomatoes and clementines too from Israel. It is the Garden of Eden. G-d will not abandon his people at this time. Toda Rabbah.

(15)
Elizabeth Daugherty,
August 14, 2005 12:00 AM

How?

I cannot imagine the sadness nor the emptiness of having to leave my home and loved ones behind. The investment of blood sweat and tears is too much to fathom. The fear and uncertaintly of it all is just too overwhelming. Politics...the ruination of mankind. Greed and selfishness and unwillingness to be satisfied with what we have. When will we ever learn to love one another. I will pray for you and all of Israel.

(14)
Christina Mitchell,
August 13, 2005 12:00 AM

makes me more determined to fast & pray

As a goyim living in the uttermost parts of the earth New Zealand's South Island who loves the God of Israel and His people, I am one of many hundreds in this country. Stories like this make us more determined to join you and fast and pray that Hashem would intervene on behalf of His Land and His people. We are already far into 9th AV over here. May Hashem bless you for telling the world the truth.

(13)
Cheryl,
August 11, 2005 12:00 AM

My heart cries and my eyes shed tears

My heart cries out to Hashem with streams of tears for His righteous right hand to bring aid to His Chosen People and His Covenant land. We shall continue to pray the Word of G-d for Israel and for His promises to come forth.
I pray for G-d's mercy upon my country and govenment of the USA for joining with other nations by bribing the govenment of Israel to give up it's covenant land.
We stand with you and love you the people and land of Israel...as Ruth stood with Naomi.

(12)
Nicola,
August 11, 2005 12:00 AM

These stories need to be told

Anyone reading this article will better understand what implications the withdrawl will have. But unfortunatly we rarely get to see these type of accounts in the media. It is our responsibility to make sure these stories reach those who need to read them by using our right of free speech in the media.

(11)
tova,
August 10, 2005 12:00 AM

politics aside

no matter what political views we each may hold, who can not be touched by these stories, please take a moment and pray for the welfare of our fellow Jews going through this hellish time. May Hashem have mercy on His people.

(10)
S. Stevenson,
August 10, 2005 12:00 AM

Disagree with Mr. Pipes

Ever since the Israeli army left Lebanon there have been no major issues, contrary to what Mr. Pipes says.

(9)
tom,
August 10, 2005 12:00 AM

"Today Gaza, Tomorrow Jerusalem" -- WORTH A READ

by Daniel Pipes
Are Israel's critics correct? Does the "occupation" of the West Bank and Gaza cause the Palestinian Arabs' anti-Semitism, their suicide factories, and their terrorism? And is it true these horrors will end only when Israeli civilians and troops leave the territories?

The answer is coming soon. Starting August 15, the Israeli government will evict about 8,000 Israelis from Gaza and turn their land over to the Palestinian Authority. In addition to being a unique event in modern history (no other democracy has forcibly uprooted thousands of its own citizens of one religion from their lawful homes), it also offers a rare, live, social-science experiment.

We stand at an interpretive divide. If Israel's critics are right, the Gaza withdrawal will improve Palestinian attitudes toward Israel, leading to an end of incitement and a steep drop in attempted violence, followed by a renewal of negotiations and a full settlement. Logic requires, after all, that if "occupation" is the problem, ending it, even partially, will lead to a solution.

But I forecast a very different outcome. Given that about 80% of Palestinian Arabs continue to reject Israel's very existence, signs of Israeli weakness, such as the forthcoming Gaza withdrawal, will instead inspire heightened Palestinian irredentism. Absorbing their new gift without gratitude, Palestinian Arabs will focus on those territories Israelis have not evacuated. (This is what happened after Israeli forces fled Lebanon.) The retreat will inspire not comity but a new rejectionist exhilaration, a greater frenzy of anti-Zionist anger, and a surge in anti-Israel violence.

Palestinian Arabs themselves are openly saying as much. A top Hamas figure in Gaza, Ahmed al-Bahar says "Israel has never been in such a state of retreat and weakness as it is today following more than four years of the intifada. Hamas's heroic attacks exposed the weakness and volatility of the impotent Zionist security establishment. The withdrawal marks the end of the Zionist dream and is a sign of the moral and psychological decline of the Jewish state. We believe that the resistance is the only way to pressure the Jews."

A Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri says likewise that the withdrawal is "due to the Palestinian resistance operations. … and we will continue our resistance."

Others are more specific. At a mass rally in Gaza City last Thursday, about 10,000 Palestinian Arabs danced, sang, and chanted, "Today Gaza, tomorrow Jerusalem." The commander of Gaza's Popular Resistance Committees, Jamal Abu Samhadaneh announced Sunday, "We will move our cells to the West Bank" and warned "The withdrawal will not be complete without the West Bank and Jerusalem." The Palestinian Authority's Ahmed Qurei also asserts, "Our march will stop only in Jerusalem."

Palestinian Arab intentions worry even Israeli leftists. An Arab affairs specialist for Ha'aretz, Danny Rubinstein notes that Prime Minister Sharon decided to leave Gaza only after anti-Israel carnage there had escalated. "Even if these attacks were not the reason why Sharon came up with the idea of disengagement, the Palestinians are certain that that is the case, and this has reinforced their belief that Israel only understands the language of terror attacks and violence."

Israel National News has collected other leftist comments.

A former justice minister and chairman of the Yahad/Meretz Party, Yossi Beilin: "There is a concrete danger that following the disengagement, the violence will greatly increase in the West Bank in order to achieve the same thing as was achieved in Gaza."
A former Labor Party foreign minister, Shlomo Ben-Ami: "A unilateral retreat perpetuates Israel's image as a country that runs away under pressure ... In Fatah and Hamas, they will assume that they must prepare for their third intifada - this time in [the West Bank]."
A former General Security Service chief, Ami Ayalon: "Retreat without getting anything in return is liable to be interpreted by some of the Palestinians as surrender. ... There is a high chance that shortly after the disengagement, the violence will be renewed."
A former air force commander, Eitan Ben-Eliyahu: "There is no chance that the disengagement will guarantee long-term stability. The plan as it stands can only lead to a renewal of terrorism."
Events, I predict, will prove Israel's critics totally wrong but they will learn no lessons. Untroubled by facts, they will demand further Israeli withdrawals. Israel's one-car crash is dismally preparing the way for more disasters.

(8)
gabriello marchetti,
August 9, 2005 12:00 AM

gush katif

no jews should be deportated from their home.

(7)
Miriam,
August 9, 2005 12:00 AM

I am crying

I am crying right now. We will be there next week marching to Gush .... and praying for all of the communities. Hashem Yerachem

(6)
Anonymous,
August 9, 2005 12:00 AM

Specific Chapters of Psalms

I attended a gathering this evening to pray for the Jewish People in general and especially for the Jews of the Gush and the Shomron. It was led by Rebbetzen Tziporah Heller. We prayed according to a specific order of chapters of Psalms that the Grand Rabbi of Boston arranged. Anyone who is able can help by saying chapter 3, then 20,64,69,83,85,86,91, 107, 130 and end with a heartfelt request that "G-d nullify all of the harsh decrees that threaten us and all of our fellow Jews in Gush Katif and the Shomron."

May we hear surprisingly sweet news very soon.

(5)
Anna,
August 9, 2005 12:00 AM

I don't understand, either

I am only 1/8 Jewish & don't live in Israel, but my heart goes out to the people being dispossessed in this cruel way. I only hope that good does from it.

This may be a bit of a tangent, but we keep hearing about how the Palestinians have been in 'refugee camps' for 50 years etc-longer than I have been alive ! Surely in TWO GENERATIONS they would have done something about this-and, from what I have seen, the 'camps' look more like towns to me. Surely, in FIFTY YEARS (!) you would not be still camping out.

I hope and pray that this will not happen.

(4)
Anonymous,
August 8, 2005 12:00 AM

Upon consultation with its rabbinic leadership, Agudath Israel of America has issued the following statement:
A CALL TO SHARE THE PAIN
OF ACHEINU BAIS YISROEL

These are terribly trying times for Klal Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. And it behooves us all, no matter our opinions on the wisdom of the imminent Israeli withdrawal from parts of our Holy Land, to pause and share in the pain and anguish of our Jewish brethren in Gaza.
Those residents are, overwhelmingly, idealistic, dedicated Jews. They are being forced by circumstances entirely beyond their control to give up their homes, their yeshivos, their shuls and their cemeteries, to be relocated abruptly to new surroundings. Whether or not the decision necessitating that relocation is politically or militarily correct, its effects are, unarguably, a deep personal tragedy for many thousands.

And so, during these days of Jewish mourning over the destruction of the Botei Mikdosh, [the holy Temples] it is only proper that we include in our hearts and in our tefillos [prayers] all those precious Jewish souls who are scheduled to be uprooted from the land to which they have been attached for many years. May Hakodosh Boruch Hu see fit to return His shechina to Tziyon -- his Presence to Zion, ve'yolichenu komemius le'artzeinu -- and lead us upright to our Land.

(3)
Leah,
August 8, 2005 12:00 AM

Positive

Think positive thoughts. There is great spiritual energy in positive thinking. Hashem does not want us to be sad or depressed. Think that this won't happen, that everyone in Gush Katif can stay in his/her home. Chazak!!!

(2)
chana Sharfstein,
August 7, 2005 12:00 AM

My heart is filled with emotion-most poignant is the concern for the grave of your son

Life is always filled with challenges however the situation confronting our settlers in Gush Katif is overwhelming. The thought of dismantling one's home, actually one's life since our home is part of our very being, is difficult beyond words. I am at the stage in life where i think of resettling- a situation I share with most seniors. The thought of packing and moving appears so difficult that I constantly place changes for the future on hold. I cannot imagine the turmoil in being forced to make major changes under govermental pressure.
In particular the situation of the loved ones in the cemetary is tragic indeed. I never really thought of the fact that in Israel the body is placed in the earth without a coffin and thus the incredible situation that now is encountered. There are no words to express one's feelings.
I personally feel very unhappy because we should be screaming from the rooftops all over the world that this dismantling can not happen. Instead it is as if we are helpless, with our hands tied behind our backs, once again being forced to appease the enemy.
We are lacking in PASSION for our land. It fills me with sadness to realize that the Arabs view this land as sacred and would never give up any part of it. Passion for the land, the deep feeling that this is the Land Hashem promised us- that ISRAEL is OUR HERITAGE, should have prevented this situation from occuring.
In 1967 when Jerusalem was finally reunited and our army and people were strong, the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke with great love and passion that none of the land should be given back. Every inch of land had been won with courage and bravery, with loss of life and limbs, with great sacrifice and dedication. He was a great visionary- we should have litened to him. The Arabs obviously do not and never did want peace. Now they note that terror brings positive results. Blowing up innocent people ultimately gives you the land you want. The lesson for the Arabs is obvious- continue the terrorism and G-D forbid there will be more concessions.
Let us try to bring back the Passion for our land. Let us fill our children and grandchildren with LOVE for our land. May Hashem help us, May He listen to our heartfelt prayers and wipe away our tears. The 9 days this year are indeed Days Of Deep Concern- May they become days Of Joy. We need Moshiach NOW>

(1)
Shushannah Dunklin,
August 7, 2005 12:00 AM

Heart wrenching.

Like her I do not understand what Israel hopes to gain. My heart goes out to her, and to all of those that have worked so hard to make a home for us in our land. Nothing will change how we are seen in the world, the world hates the light and loves the darkness. They will always hate the ones that HaShem has called to be a light to the world.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...